Phrases

What’s the difference between a clause & a phrase?

The answer is simple: a clause has a subject & verb, & a phrase doesn’t.

There are several types of phrases, but here we’re going to deal just with prepositional phrases.

It helps if you know what prepositions are. There are lots of prepositions, but here are some of the most common:

about, across, against, along, among, around, at, before, behind, below, beneath, beside, between, beyond, by, down, during, except, for, from, in, inside, into, like, near, of, off, on, since, to, toward, through, under, until, up, upon, with, within

Prepositions are followed by a noun or pronoun & show the relationship between that noun or pronoun & something else in the sentence:

The man in the room has a gun.

“In” shows the relationship between “man” & “room.”

The man is in the room.

Here, “in” again shows the relationship between “man” & “room,” but it’s a different relationship. In the first sentence, “in the room” tells WHICH man. In the second, “in the room” tells WHERE the man is.

Or, perhaps more simply, “in the room” functions in the first sentence as an ADJECTIVE & in the second as an ADVERB.

Yes, that’s right—just like clauses, phrases function as a part of speech. Prepositional phrases can function as adjectives or adverbs (but, unlike clauses, not as nouns).

The child with the jump rope is my niece.I don’t know the man in the red pants.The store near my house is closed.The truth about that man is that he can’t tell the truth.

All the phrases above identity the noun that precedes them: which child? Which man? etc.

I live near my parents.He ate before the party.He vacuumed for his mother.He vacuumed with care.

The phrases in the sentences above answer the questions where, when, why, & how, & they are ADVERB phrases.

Be sure you do this one… . . . before this one.

http://www.education.com/study-help/article/prepositions-prepositional-phrases_answer/

(write the answers on paper & check them at the bottom)

http://flang1.kendall.mdc.edu/3/327/L327lec1/L327lec1.htm (scroll to the bottom)

http://aliscot.com/bigdog/prep_exercise.htm

http://www.eduplace.com/cgi-bin/hme-quiz-start.cgi?Grade=6&Unit=7&Topic=Prepositional+Phrases&x=25&y=9

http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/quizzes/preposition_quiz2.htm

http://www.wiziq.com/online-tests/12703-prepositional-phrases-as-modifiers